Posted on: Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Tickets to Maui going for $99

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

A charter airline is offering introductory, $99 tickets for new scheduled flights from Oakland, Calif., to Maui starting Nov. 4.

But several calls to North American Airlines' toll-free reservation line this week were met with a recording that "the number you have dialed cannot be completed." Company officials also did not return telephone calls seeking comment on how many seats would be available for $99.

North American Airlines has had a charter certificate with the state Department of Transportation for more than a year, said DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa.

"North American does hold an operating certificate," Ishikawa said. "It shouldn't be that difficult to change that to a scheduled carrier certificate."

Travel agent Bonnie Gutner, the owner of Travel Inc. in Kailua, said she has booked customers on North American charter flights in the past.

"I have heard of them and I have put people on them, but I don't really know much about them," she said.

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8085.